Telehealth and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and narrative analysis

Telehealth and patient satisfaction: a systematic review and narrative analysis

2017 | Clemens Scott Kruse, Nicole Krowski, Blanca Rodriguez, Lan Tran, Jackeline Vela, Matthew Brooks
This systematic review and narrative analysis examine the association between telehealth and patient satisfaction, focusing on effectiveness and efficiency. The study analyzed 44 articles published between 2010 and 2017, identifying factors that influence patient satisfaction with telehealth. Key factors included improved outcomes (20%), preferred modality (10%), ease of use (9%), low cost (8%), improved communication (8%), and decreased travel time (7%), which together accounted for 61% of the occurrences. The review highlights that telehealth can enhance patient satisfaction by offering convenience, reducing travel, and improving communication. However, factors such as technology bias, small sample sizes, and limited populations may affect the reliability of findings. The study also notes that telehealth has the potential to improve healthcare access, especially for rural and remote populations, and to reduce missed appointments and readmissions. Despite these benefits, challenges such as provider resistance to change and the need for reimbursement adjustments remain. The review concludes that telehealth is a feasible option for expanding healthcare services, but its implementation should consider patient needs and ensure that it meets the expectations of both patients and providers. The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong patient-provider relationships and ensuring that telehealth is used effectively and efficiently to improve healthcare outcomes.This systematic review and narrative analysis examine the association between telehealth and patient satisfaction, focusing on effectiveness and efficiency. The study analyzed 44 articles published between 2010 and 2017, identifying factors that influence patient satisfaction with telehealth. Key factors included improved outcomes (20%), preferred modality (10%), ease of use (9%), low cost (8%), improved communication (8%), and decreased travel time (7%), which together accounted for 61% of the occurrences. The review highlights that telehealth can enhance patient satisfaction by offering convenience, reducing travel, and improving communication. However, factors such as technology bias, small sample sizes, and limited populations may affect the reliability of findings. The study also notes that telehealth has the potential to improve healthcare access, especially for rural and remote populations, and to reduce missed appointments and readmissions. Despite these benefits, challenges such as provider resistance to change and the need for reimbursement adjustments remain. The review concludes that telehealth is a feasible option for expanding healthcare services, but its implementation should consider patient needs and ensure that it meets the expectations of both patients and providers. The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining strong patient-provider relationships and ensuring that telehealth is used effectively and efficiently to improve healthcare outcomes.
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